Justice scuttled: Verma in resignation letter

Alok Verma, who was removed as CBI Director by the PM-led Selection Panel on Thursday, has resigned from the service and claimed that he was transferred on the basis of “false, unsubstantiated and frivolous allegations” made by only one person, who was inimical to him.

Verma was shifted as DG Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guards after ousting as CBI Director.

“Natural justice was scuttled and the entire process was turned upside down in ensuring that the undersigned (Verma) is removed from the post of the Director CBI. The Selection Committee did not consider the fact that the entire CVC report is premised on charges alluded by a complainant who is presently under investigation by the CBI,” Verma said in his resignation letter to the Secretary of Department of Personnel and Training.

Meanwhile on Friday, CBI spokesman Abhishek Dayal was shunted as Director of Publication Division. His tenure was till August 20, 2020. New appointee Nitin Wakankar will take charge on Saturday.

“Institutions are one of the strongest and most visible symbols of our democracy and it is no exaggeration that the CBI is one of the most important organisations in India today. The decisions made yesterday (of ousting Verma) will not just be a reflection on my functioning but will become a testimony on how the CBI as an institution will be treated by any Government through the CVC, who is appointed by majority members of the ruling Government. This is a moment for collective introspection, to state the least,” he said.

Verma further said “…it may be noted that the undersigned (Verma) would have already supernnauted as on July 31, 2017 and was only serving the Government as Director, CBI till January 31, 2019, as the same was affixed tenure role. The undersigned is no longer Director, CBI and has already crossed his superannuation age for DG Fore Services, Civil Defence & Home Guards. Accordingly, the undersigned may be deemed as superannuated with effect from today.”

Meanwhile, Interim CBI Director M Nageshwar Rao cancelled all transfer decisions taken by his ousted predecessor Alok Verma during the period of two days after being reinstated by the Supreme Court. The position of officials has been restored as on January 8.

Verma, after being reinstated by the Supreme Court on January 8, had undone all the transfers done by Rao through separate orders from January 9-10. Verma had also appointed a new investigation officer to probe the case against Special Director Rakesh Asthana.

A high-powered selection committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and comprising Justice AK Sikri and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge had transferred Verma out of the CBI in a split verdict on Thursday.

Following this, the Government assigned the charge of the agency to Additional Director Nageshwar Rao who was also in charge for 77 days when Verma and his deputy Asthana were on forced leave.

While Rao was barred from taking any major policy decision during the 77-day period when Verma was on forced leave, no such condition applies on his present tenure as interim director.

Rao had taken charge of the agency at 9 pm on Thursday, a CBI spokesperson said in a statement on Friday.